I was looking through the Sunday paper this weekend (this GenXer isn't giving up her paper just yet!) and came across this advertisement, in Parade Magazine, a regular insert in the Sunday paper here, that caught my eye. Instead of a typical, product-focused, consumer-oriented ad, I saw this ad with the headline "Redesigned with you in mind."
It's interesting to note how Walmart and Procter & Gamble are speaking directly to shoppers about redesigning the cleaning aisle. Given the recent fact that the shopper satisfaction at retail stores is declining at a rate of up to 15% a year (according to an ongoing IPG Media Lab study of more than 10,000 North American shoppers), this is a great move on behalf of a top retailer and manufacturer letting their customers know that they are listening and actively working on their behalf to make the shopping experience better.
The implications of pre-store planning (i.e., Pre-Tail™) are becoming more visible in all aspects of the marketing mix. Whether due to tough economic times, increased competition, or more consumer choice, retailers and manufacturers alike are starting to think outside of the traditional marketing equation in an attempt to better connect with consumers. This left me thinking, is this a trend in the making? Will we continue to see an uptick in the use of above-the-line consumer media to communicate shopper marketing solutions?
-Contributed by Kenneta Insco
